October 14, 2015: Letters of Recommendation

posted Oct 15, 2015, 10:50 AM by Kristin Hannon

College Readiness NewsletterOctober 14, 2015

Weekly College Update

Dear Senior Snow Leopards, Bulldogs, Thunderbirds and Huskies,

It’s time to brag!

Usually it feels awkward to tell others about how great you are. However, college applications are one of the places where it is acceptable and really important to be able to brag about your strengths and accomplishments. Don’t be shy or hold back! Admissions counselors need to know about the amazing things you’ve done, and so do your letter of recommendation writers.

This week’s focus is letters of recommendation.

Most of you will need letters of recommendation at some point this year for a college application or maybe a scholarship. One of the best ways to ensure that you receive detailed and thoughtful letters of recommendation is to prepare a brag sheet for your recommenders. Brag sheets describe your activities, interests, and awards to ensure that your recommenders can be as specific as possible in their letters. Did you have an amazing experience over the summer traveling with Global Glimpse or mentoring younger students at your local YMCA? Be sure to update your brag sheet to reflect those things.

Finally, good letters of recommendation take TIME to write. If you want high quality letters, notify your recommenders about your deadlines as soon as possible. You can check with your mentor for more specifics, but usually at least two or three weeks ahead of your first deadline is the minimum amount of time you want to allow your letter writers to prepare strong letters.

Brian Ohleyer Scholarship AwardWho can apply: high school seniors who demonstrate athletic and academic excellenceAmount of the award: $4,000Information/Application: Olympic Foundation*Note- you can't apply directly; someone must nominate you, so talk to your mentor if you're interested!Deadline: November 3, 2015

Jack Kent Cook ScholarshipWho can apply: Low-income and high-achieving high school studentsAmount of the award: up to $40,000 per yearInformation/Application: https://application.jkcf.org/login/Deadline: November 3, 2015

Prudential Spirit of Community AwardWho can apply: High school students involved in volunteer workAmount of the award: $1,000Information/Application: Prudential Spirit of CommunityDeadline: November 3, 2015

CAP Bay Area ScholarshipWho can apply: Low-income high school seniors in the Bay AreaAmount of the award: $5,000 per year + 1:1 college coachingInformation/Application: CAP Bay AreaDeadline: December, 2015

AXA Achievement ScholarshipWho can apply: high school seniors who demonstrate ambition and driveAmount of the award: $10,000Information/Application: AXA AchievementDeadline: December 15, 2015

Asian and Pacific Islander American Scholarship FundWho can apply: Asian American and Pacific Islander high school seniorsAmount of the award: variesInformation/Application: https://secure.apiasf.org/Deadline: January 8, 2016

Gates Millennium ScholarsWho can apply: African American, American Indian, Asian Pacific Islander American, Hispanic American high school seniors with minimum 3.3 GPAAmount of the award: full cost of college education! Information/Application: Gates Millennium Scholars ProgramDeadline: January 13, 2016

CSU Stanislaus Preview and Early Admissions Day

Wouldn't it feel great to get a college acceptance this early in the year? Last year the first Summit students in the class of 2015 to receive college acceptances attended the CSU Stanislaus Preview Day. If you are CSU eligible and you apply online to Stanislaus between October 1 and October 10, you can receive an on-the-spot offer of admission at their Preview Day on October 17th!